Archeologists have identified 20 villages within a twenty-mile radius of the mission.

The Spanish found the Salinan a "friendly and charitable people," who they were able to recruit rapidly into the mission system. Unlike some other tribes, they adapted easily to mission life. As a result, San Antonio de Padua, grew rapidly. Within 20 years it was the largest of the central California missions.

In the mission era the natives who became neophytes at San Antonio de Padua were called Antoniaños. Mission records show the natives were predominantly Northern Salinan, but there were some Yokuts and Esselen.